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Treatment:

 

Topical (Applied on the skin)

 

• 2% Ung acid sal
  this medication peels the thickened skin and restores normal skin thickness

• Tar 
  reduces the rapid growth of skin cells

• Dithranol 

• Calcipotriol / Betamethasone combination (Dovobet) 
  effective in restoring normality in psoriasis areas

• Clobetasol shampoo (Clobex). This is a strong topical steroid preparation and its use on the scalp must be limited to 2 weeks at a time.

 

Ultraviolet light

 

PUVA

narrow band UVB

Excimer laser/light

Home care phototherapy

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Oral treatments

 

• Methotrexate

• Acitretin (Neotigason)

• Cyclosporin

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New treatments for Psoriasis (Biologics)
 

ANTI TNFs

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• Infliximab (Revellex/Remicaide)

 

Infliximab is given intravenously in the doctors office.  Initial treatment is administered at weeks 0,2 and 6.  Thereafter, treatment is given at 8 week intervals.  (For more information on Infliximab - also known as Revellex or Remicaide - please click here, bearing in mind that the cost support does not apply to South Africa)

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• Etanercept (Enbrel)

 

This biologic has been approved for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and is undergoing final testing in patients with skin psoriasis.  Intitial studies have shown that half the patients achieved more than 70% clearance and that 70% of patients achieved 50% clearance.  It is administered by subcutaneous injection twice weekly.  Patients can be taught to administer the treatment at home, much like injecting insulin at home for diabetes. (For more information on Enbrel, please click here)

 

• Adalimumab (Humira)

 

Self injected subcutaneously, 80mg followed by 40mg a week later, then 40mg every fortnight. (More information)

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ANTI IL12/23

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• Ustekinumab (Stelara)

 

Given by subcutaneous injection at week 0, 4 then once every 3 months. Patients weighing less that 100kg get 45mg and those over 100kg receive 90mg per injection. (For Ustekinumab use in psoriasis, please click here. Remember that special offers on this website applies to USA only)

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ANTI IL 17

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• Secukinumab (Cosentyx)

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Secukinumab is administered on Week 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 then every 4 weeks. The mode of action is different from the other biologics. It is given by subcutaneous injection. In clinical trials, the majority of people taking COSENTYX 300 mg were clear or almost clear at 12 weeks. Approximately 8 out of 10 people saw 75% skin clearance. Approximately 6 out of 10 people saw 90% skin clearance. Many who saw results at 1 year maintained them at 5 years. 

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• Ixekizumab (Copellar)

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A recently launched IL17 drug from Lilly laboratories. The dose of Copellar is 160mg (2 injections of 80mg) on week 0, the 80 mg (1 injection) every 2 weeks for 12 weeks, then 80mg every 4 weeks. In addition to skin psoriasis, it can be used for psoriatic arthritis. It shows high clearance rates in psoriasis. For those interested in the statistics: of 206 patients at Week 60, PASI 75/90/100 responses were 94.7%, 85.0% and 62.1%, respectively, and at year 5 were 90.3%, 71.3% and 46.3%, respectively. Read more

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ANTI IL23

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• Guselkumab (Tremfya)

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Launched in October 2020, Tremfya is one of the most recent biologic to be available. It is administered at a dose of 100mg on Weeks 0, 4 and 8, thereafter every 8 weeks.  In clinical studies at week 16, 7 out of 10 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis saw 90% clearer skin. In a clinical study, nearly 9 out of 10 patients who saw 90% clearer skin at week 28 maintained it at week 48. ​

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